TYY is seen as an important organisation and its work is appreciated by students. The most significant areas for development relate to strengthening students’ sense of connection to the student union, increasing the visibility of communications and paying greater attention to the needs of the Satakunta campuses.
Background on the Response Rate
Work on these issues has already begun, and they have been strongly incorporated into planning for the coming year.
The results of TYY’s 2026 member survey are now available and one trend stands out clearly when compared with previous surveys: the number of responses has declined since 2017 and 2023. In 2026, the survey received only 649 responses, compared to 951 in 2024 and as many as 1840 in 2017.
Why is this the case?
One clear reason is that the student union does not reach its members effectively enough. A major challenge is that TYY lacks its own mailing lists, limiting its ability to communicate directly with all its members. Instead we relied on our own newsletters, social media channels, posters and table tents, outreach activities and support from student organisations.
A second reason for the low response rate may be a limited interest in the activities of the Student Union. It is possible that respondents have not perceived any significant problems in its operations that would motivate them to complete the survey. Feedback is often provided particularly when people are dissatisfied with an organisation's activities.
Whatever the reason behind the low response rate, the student union has opportunities to develop its operations and respond to the challenges identified in the survey.
The survey was slightly revised compared to the previous edition to make the results easier to analyse. At the same time, many existing questions and formulations were retained in order to preserve long-term comparability of the data.
Respondents were required to provide background information, while all other questions were voluntary. Slightly more than half of respondents were bachelor’s students (54%) and slightly less than half were master’s students (45%). The share of doctoral researchers and exchange students was small. Most respondents studied at the Turku campus (92%), although students from the Rauma and Pori campuses also participated. International students accounted for 5,3% of respondents.
Sense of Community and the Importance of the Student Union
Respondents felt the strongest sense of belonging within their own academic subject or faculty community, with 57,3% stating that they felt part of this community. The change from the 2023 survey is minimal; at that time, 58,8% reported feeling a sense of belonging to their subject or faculty community. More than half of respondents (56,2%) also felt a sense of belonging to their subject association in 2026, a result very similar to that of 2023.
The student union did not generate a similar sense of belonging. Nearly half of respondents (48,8%) rated the statement on belonging with a score of 1 or 2, meaning they either strongly disagreed or somewhat disagreed. This aligns closely with the 2023 survey result, where 50,3% gave a score of 1 or 2.
Although TYY is not widely perceived as a community to which students feel they belong, almost 70% of respondents considered the student union’s activities important or very important. Among TYY’s events, May Day celebrations are often students’ first and most important point of contact with TYY. Together with the Opening Carnival they account for a significant share of TYY’s visibility and recognition.
Students generally feel they can influence their own student community and the content of their studies. Influencing the student union’s activities is perceived as considerably more difficult. Nearly half of respondents feel they have not been able to influence TYY’s activities sufficiently. While 46% feel they can influence their student community and 43% believe they can influence the content of their studies, only 13% feel they can influence TYY’s operations.
What explains these weak perceptions of influence?
Almost half of respondents (45%) feel they receive sufficient information about TYY’s activities. At the same time, 26% do not feel adequately informed, while 28% are unsure whether they receive enough information. TYY’s communications generally receive positive feedback, but respondents often feel that information arrives too late.
The member survey itself was also primarily promoted through TYY’s own communication channels, meaning that respondents may have been from students who are already familiar with the student union’s activities.
Respondents were asked to evaluate the statement: “I feel that TYY has improved students’ position at the university.” More than half (51,2%) agreed that TYY has improved students’ position at the university. At the same time, a notably large share of students (40,3%) selected the neutral option.
When asked about the most important forms of TYY’s work, respondents ranked the following activities highest:
- Student representatives in university governance
- Influencing curriculum development
- Harassment contact person activities
- Organisational grants
- Student advisory services
A Safe and Equal Student Community
Students were most familiar with procedures related to situations where the review of a thesis or exam is significantly delayed, with 79% knowing well or at least somewhat how to proceed. Similarly, 78% knew what to do if a supervisor or teacher made inappropriate behaviour and 75% knew how to act if they experienced unfair treatment related to their studies.
The majority of students therefore know, at least to some extent, how to respond to study-related problems. However, around one in five students does not know the appropriate procedures, highlighting the importance of visible advisory and support services.
Respondents were also asked whether they felt able to be themselves within the student community. A total of 89% answered yes, while 11% answered no. The large majority therefore feel able to be themselves, which is an encouraging result. At the same time, approximately one in ten students does not share this experience, indicating that there is still a need for continued equality and inclusion work.
The most common reasons for not feeling fully accepted were age (26%) and attitudes toward alcohol (26%). Factors related to health, political views, personal convictions, and other personal characteristics also affected some respondents’ experiences of inclusion and acceptance.
Open-ended responses particularly highlighted neurodiversity, experiences related to opinions and values and feelings of exclusion.
TYY’s Services, Events and Communications
Among TYY’s services, the most frequently used were the Q House, TYY’s sauna, the New Student Guide, and the Academic Year Calendar.
Respondents were also generally well aware of TYY’s legal advisory services (73% knew about the service) and the harassment contact person system (81% were familiar with it), although these services are not used much.
The survey also asked respondents what services they would like TYY to provide. Five themes stood out in the open responses:
1. Better Awareness and Functionality of Existing Services: Improved communication about services, faster responses to enquiries, extended opening hours at the service point and improved accessibility of harassment contact person services.
2. More Services for the Satakunta Campuses: More events, facilities and services in Satakunta.
3. Better Facilities and Broader Lending Equipment Selection: Additional loanable equipment, such as a sticker machine and a van and more facilities available for student organisations to rent.
4. Services for Student Parents: Childcare services and a children’s play area were frequently requested.
5. Enhanced Wellbeing and Community Building: Sports and wellbeing services, quiet spaces, support for the integration of international students and expanded advisory and support services.
All feedback and survey results were reviewed during a joint staff and board feedback workshop at the beginning of the autumn semester. Many of the suggestions raised in the survey have already been advanced and several have been incorporated into the 2027 Action Plan, which will be approved at the Student Union Council meeting in november.
An event specifically for student parents will be organised later this autumn and a pilot childcare service is tentatively planned for next spring. In addition, TYY will expand the range of items available for loan through its service point based on respondents’ wishes.
Key Findings
- 84% of students feel they belong to at least one community and TYY’s work is considered important (average rating 3.9/5), particularly in advocacy, advisory and support services.
- TYY is still perceived as relatively distant (average rating 2.6/5).
- Opportunities to influence TYY’s activities are perceived as limited.
- TYY’s events are considered important and safe.
More info:
Heta Laiho, Communications Specialist
tyy-viestintaasiantuntija@utu.fi
Tiia Niskanen, Community Coordinator
tyy-jasenpalvelu@utu.fi